Latch.



N0.854,o65.` v PATBNTBD MAY 21, 19o?.

- 1L G. VOIGHT.

LATCH. APPLICATION FILED 00T.'4. 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1;

No. 354,065; PATENTBD MAY 21. 1907.

H. G. VOIGHT.

LATCH.

APPLIOATIVON FILED 00T.4, 1906.`

2 SHEETSj-SHEET 2.

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' 'UNITED sTATEs PATENT oEEroE.

HENRY G. VOIGI-IT, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO RUSSELL t ERWIN MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEW BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT.

A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LATCH Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 21, 1907.

Application filed October 4, 1906. Serial No. 337,344.

ous parts of the lock so as to guarantee theA free action of the knobs; and to cause the latch proper to have a direct or straight throw action and combining therewith an antifriction and retracting device vby which the latch proper may be forced back when the door is shut, or drawn back by the knobs orl other equivalent devices provided for that purpose.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a plan view, partly broken away, the various parts being assembled,Fig. 2 is a viewof the inner side of the inside escutcheon plate andassociated parts, the outside being removed. Fig. 3 is av detail of the anti-friction latch-retracting device. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the latch bolt proper detached. Fig. 5 is a view of the anti-friction device and latch combined7 but independent of the other parts. Fig. 6 is a view of thev inner end of the latch bolt proper and the anti-friction retractor.

A B are two escutcheon plates, one of which is hollo wed out at the inner side to afford room for the latch slide and the usual roll-back (not shown). These plates A and B have internally projecting telescopic tubular connecting and alining members A B. In line with these members A B are the spindles (not shown) for the knobs C C. The axis of rotation ofthe knobs C C is concentric with the telescopic connecting members A B, and hence when the lock is in place on a door the knobs are always arranged in perfect alinement, irrespective of the thickness of the door to which they are applied and their alinement cannot be disturbed in the slightest by reason of any careless applicaf for the latch slide and roll-back to the rear thereof. This plate A2 maylalso act to carry the tube A or act as a support therefor.

E is the latch proper, the same having a bearing in the end or face plate F. This latch E partakes only of a reciprocal motion and has the guiding stem E with the latch extending easy spring E2.

G is an antifriction latch-retracting device pivotally mounted at one end at G to the face plate F. This retracting device or retractor, as I shall term it, partakes only of an oscillating motion, and in thep articular form shown there is a pin and groove connection between the free end of the oscillating retractor G and the reciprocating bolt. This pin is shown at G2, while the groovein the latch bolt is indicated at E2. The position of these parts when assembled is indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 5.

II is a sliding link pivotally connected at H to the retractor G. At the other end this link makes a sliding connection with a pin carried by a latch-slide I. This latch-slide is connected to the actuating spindle in the space between the plates A and A2 in such a manner that said slide may be retracted at will. The pivoted portion of the retractor G is well in advance of the edge of the latchbolt E, see Fig. l, so that when the door closes, the inclined face of the retractor will first engage the usual striker-plate and be forced back thereby, so that, by reason of the pin and groove connection with the bolt E, the latter will be pressed back in a direct line. The face of the retractor which engages the. striker-plate (not shown) maybe curved or concaved so as to operate freely and easily. The retraction of the latch-bolt E is always effected through the medium of the retractor G. In other words, the latch slide has no connection with the latch bolt save through the medium Aof the retractor. While this anti-friction retracting device isoperable in connection with 'a lock such as shown in the drawings, it is not confined to this particular type. By this arrangement the swelling and shrinking of the door will have no effect upon the snugness with which the door is held closed. When the lock is properly iitted at IOO the outset any shrinkage which would tend to draw the face-plate or lock E away from the striker-plate will not, as in the case of the usual oscillating latch, result in loose play and rattling. For convenience in assembling, the link II is opened at one side, as shown in Fig. 3. The slot in the link H permits the retractor to be pressed back without moving the latch slide I, and hence permits of the use of a so-called easy spring. This is the preferable construction.

That I claim is l. In a latch mechanism, a latch bolt, two escutcheon plates, one of said plates being hollowed out at its inner side, a non-rotatable tubular connection carried by each of said plates, said connections being telescopic to admit of the adjustment of said plates to and fro, a rotatable knob spindle passing through said telescopic connection and concentric with the same, and means carried in the hollowed out portion of said plate connecting said spindle and said latch bolt.

2. In a lock and latch mechanism, a reciprocating latch bolt, a supporting plate therefor, a manually controlled slide, an oscillating retractor pivoted to said supporting plate and having an inclined front end slightlyT in advance of the adjacent inclined front end of the latch bolt, means to directly connect the latch bolt and retractor, and means to directly connect said retractor and said slide, said slide being connected to said bolt only through the medium of said retractor.

3. In a lock and latch mechanism, a recipe rocating latch bolt, a supporting plate therefor, a manually controlled slide separate from said bolt, an oscillating retractor pivoted to said supporting plate and having an inclined front end slightly in advance of the adjacent inclined front end of the latch bolt, means to directly connect the latch bolt and retractor, and means to directly connect said retractor and said slide, the last mentioned means permitting the retractor and latch bolt to be moved independently of the slide, said slide being connected to said bolt only through the medium of said retractor. A

4. In a latch mechanism, two escutcheon plates, one of said plates being hollowed out at its inner side to aflord room for latch re- -tracting mechanism, including a slide, an inmechanism carried by and at the inner sideI of one of said plates, a telescopic tubular nonrotatable connection between said plates, said connection being concentric with the axis of the rotatable latch actuating mechanism.

HENRY G. VOIGHT.

Witnesses:

M. S, WIARD, W. R. STONE. 

